mortar mixes

for masonry
Mortar binds bricks and blocks together to give strength and
stability to a wall.

a) sand shall contain no organic material (material produced by

animal or plant activities);

Freshly mixed mortar must be soft and plastic so that it spreads

easily and makes good contact without becoming too strong.
Too strong a mortar may crack and is wasteful and expensive.

b) sand shall not contain any particles which are retained on a

sieve of nominal aperture size 5 mm;

1. materials
1.1 Cement
Preferred cement types are:
Common cement complying with SANS 50197-1
Masonry cement complying with SANS 50413-1;
strength class 22,5X.

c) when 2,5 kg of cement is mixed with 12,5 kg of air-dry sand,

the mixture shall not require more than 3,0 l of water to be
added to reach a consistency suitable for the laying of
masonry units; and
d) when mixed with the cement in accordance with the mix
proportions, the sand shall have workability suitable for the
laying of masonry units.

Cement is sold in 50 kg bags and in bulk.

Cement must be kept in dry storage. If there are hard lumps in
the cement that cannot be crumbled by hand, it is not fresh and
should not be used. The performance of products claiming
conformance with SANS 50413 strength class 12,5X is not
supported by independently published data.

1.2 Lime
Use only type A2P building lime complying with
SANS 523 : 2007. Do not use quick-lime, lime wash or
agricultural lime. Lime is sold in 25 kg bags.

NOTE: Sands which require the addition of more than 3,0 l

of water in terms of (c) to reach a consistency suitable for the
laying of masonry units, can in some instances be blended
with coarse sand (for example, river sand with a particle
size of less than 4 mm) to make them comply with the
requirements of this test. The proportion of the blended sand
can be determined by means of the above-mentioned test on
a trial and error basis.
Some pit sands are suitable. River, dune and beach sands are often
too uniform in size (single-sized) to give good results without
being blended with another suitable sand.

Lime should be used if the sand lacks fine material or is single

sized, as such sands tend to produce mortar with poor
workability unless lime is included in the mix.

2. mix proportions

Lime also helps the fresh mortar to retain water when it is

placed against dry cement bricks or blocks and helps to prevent
cracking of the hardened mortar.

The proportion of each material in the mix should suit

the type of work being done. Strength requirements and
mix proportions, recommended by The Concrete Institute, are
given in Table 1.

For Class I mortar, a maximum of 10 kg of lime is permitted per

50 kg of cement. For Class II mortar, a maximum of 25 kg of lime
is permitted per 50 kg of cement.
Do not use lime with masonry cement.

In general terms the classes of mortar may be used as follows:

Class I
Highly stressed masonry incorporating high-strength structural
units such as might be used in multi-storey loadbearing
buildings; reinforced masonry.

1.3 Sand
Sand shall either comply with all of the following requirements or,
if required in terms of the specification, the requirements of
SANS 1090 for mortar sand (natural or manufactured):

Class II
Normal loadbearing applications, as well as parapets,
balustrades, retaining structures, and freestanding and garden
walls, and other walls exposed to possible severe dampness.

Table 1: Mortar strength requirements and mix proportions

Minimum required
compressive strength
at 28 days, MPa

Quantity of sand
per 50 kg bag
of cement, l

Quantities of materials required

per m3 of mortar
(not including wastage)

Mortar

Preliminary Common2 Masonry3
Common2 Masonry3
class

Works
Sand
Sand

laboratory
cement
cement
cement,
bags
cement, bags

tests m3 m3

tests
32,5, 42,5
22,5X
32,5, 42,5
22,5X
I

14,5

10

130 l 80 l 10,0 1,25 13,5 1,15

II

200 l 130 l 7 1,35 10 1,25

1. Sand is estimated at a 5% moisture content.

2. Common cement complying with SANS 50197-1, strength class 32,5 or 42,5.
3. Masonry cement complying with SANS 50413-1, strength class 22,5X.
NOTE: For 90 - 110 mm thick single leaf walls, 1 m3 of mortar will be sufficient to lay about 3 700 bricks (190 x 90 x 90 mm)

without wastage. See note in section 6.

In practice, Class II mortars are used for most applications.

Although SANS 10249: refers to a Class III mortar, it is so seldom
used that it has been omitted from Table 1.
Other proportions may be used if these can be shown by test to
be satisfactory.

3. batching the materials

A builders wheelbarrow is a convenient measure for large
batches; the capacity is 65l. Steel drums of 20 l or 25 l capacity
and buckets are useful for small batches. Check the capacity of
drums and buckets when filled to the brim as this is often more
than the nominal capacity. To batch, shovel material into the
measure and then strike off level with the brim.

4. mixing
Mixing should be done on a clean hard surface such as a smooth
concrete floor or a steel sheet. Small batches may be mixed in a
wheelbarrow provided that the volume of the batch is no more
than half the capacity of the barrow.
If you are working on your own or with one assistant, it is better
to mix a number of small batches as they are required than to
mix a one-bag batch.
One man particularly if he is a weekend builder can probably
lay a little more than 60 bricks an hour.
Sand and cement, and lime if used, should be mixed until the
colour of the mix is uniform. Then add water in small quantities,
mixing after each addition, until the mix is soft and plastic.

The Concrete Institute, its directors, officers, employees, representatives

and agents are not liable for any death, harm or injury caused to any
person or any loss, destruction or damage caused to any persons
property or possessions arising from goods supplied or services
rendered by The Concrete Institute.

5. handling
If mortar is left in the sun before being used, it should be
covered with plastic sheeting or a wet sack. Discard mortar that
has stiffened so much that it is impossible to restore workability
without adding more water.

6. use of mortar
Mortar must not be used after it has started to set, which usually
occurs about two hours after it has been mixed.
Do not use too thick a layer of mortar between bricks or blocks;
this is wasteful and may lead to cracking.

7. quantities of materials
Quantities of cement and sand required per 50 kg bag of cement
and to produce 1 m3 of mortar are given in Table 1. Quantities
required for blocklaying depend on block size and are outside
the scope of this leaflet (See The Concrete Institute leaflet
Quantities for ordering building materials.)
The addition of lime is optional. A maximum of 25 kg is
permitted per 50 kg bag of cement when Class II mortar is used
and 10 kg, maximum, is permitted per 50 kg bag when
Class I mortar is being used. Mix proportions do not need
to be adjusted. Only yield will increase by 5 %.
Do not use lime with masonry cement.
Note that quantities in the table are approximate and do not
allow for wastage, which could typically range from 10 - 20 %.
Note: Concrete bricks and blocks should not be wetted
before being laid. Burnt clay bricks should be wetted before
being laid.

the concrete institute

po box 168, halfway house, 1685
block d, lone creek, waterfall park, bekker road, midrand

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published by the concrete institute, midrand, 2013
the concrete institute